Sembcorp Marine Brazil shipyard wins drillship order

Just weeks after its groundbreaking ceremony, Sembcorp Marine's Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz has secured a contract worth approximately US$792.5 million from a subsidiary of Sete Brasil Participacões S.A. for the design and construction of a drillship based on Jurong Shipyard's proprietary Jurong Espadon drillship design.

Sembcorp Marine says the Jurong Espadon drillship represents the next generation of high-specification drillships with advanced capabilities for operational efficiency and ultra-deepwater operations worldwide. The drillship will be equipped with state-of-the-art drilling facilities, a larger deck area with a 40-meter-wide main deck, efficient deck arrangement and a large moon pool for enhanced drilling operations as well as DP-3 (Dynamic Positioning class 3) capabilities, superior motion features and Azimuth thrusters for improved operability. It is capable of operating at 10,000 ft water depth and drilling to depths of 40,000 ft, with accommodation facilities to house a crew of 180 personnel.

The drillship is scheduled for delivery no later than the second quarter of 2015.

Mr. Wong Weng Sun, President and CEO of Sembcorp Marine said "This is a very significant milestone as this order not only represents the first drillship that our group is building for Brazil but it is also the first project secured by our new shipyard in Aracruz. The fact that Sete Brasil has chosen our design is a testament of the drillship's high-specification capabilities and innovative design as compared to its peers. We believe this order will be the first of many orders in Sete Brasil's ambitious drillship expansion program to develop the giant Brazilian pre-salt oil fields."

The 82.5-hectare Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz shipyard is being constructed in stages over a period of three yearswith full completion scheduled for end 2014 at an estimated tdevelopment cost of around US$550 million.